Team Melli will be facing T&T on Thursday in Azadi Stadium as part of its long preparation for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup 2019 in the Emirates.

The Trinidad side roster has been announced and it includes National Under 20 Men’s Team forward Isaiah Lee who was in Bradenton, Florida with the T&T Under 20 team. Lee is T&T’s top scorer with three goals at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.  Earning a recall is Saudi Arabia-based player Lester Peltier and Cordell Cato, while Levi Garcia, Shahdon Winchester and Neveal Hackshaw are all missing due to injury.

Also among the new call ups is 25-year-old Danish-born goalkeeper Nicklas Frenderup who plays for Norwegian First Division club Sandes ULF.

 

Trinidad & Tobago Squad

 

NAME
PLAYERS		CLUB	#
1	SHELDON  BATEAU	F.C. KAIRAT, KAZAKHSTAN	4
2	CORDELL  CATO	CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE, USA	7
3	DANEIL  CYRUS	AL-OROBAH F.C., SAUDI ARABIA	5
4	AUBREY  DAVID	VAASAN PALLOSEURA F.C., FINLAND	2
5	NICKLAS  FRENDERUP	SANDNES ULF, NORWAY	21
6	ADRIAN  FONCETTE	POLICE F.C., T&T	22
7	CURTIS  GONZALES	DEFENCE FORCE F.C., T&T	15
8	ATAULLA  GUERRA	CHARLESTON BATTERY, U.S.A.	10
9	TRISTON  HODGE	W CONNECTION F.C., T&T	18
10	AKEEM  HUMPHREY	CLUB SANDO F.C., T&T	12
11	KHALEEM  HYLAND	AL FAISALY F.C., SAUDI ARABIA	8
12	ALVIN  JONES	W CONNECTION F.C., T&T	16
13	JOEVIN  JONES	DARMSTADT 98,  GERMANY	3
14	KESTON  JULIEN	AS TRENCIN FUTBAL CLUB, SLOVAKIA	6
15	ISAIAH  LEE	MONROE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, USA	17
16	NATHAN  LEWIS	INDY  ELEVEN F.C., USA	9
17	DUANE  MUCKETTE	CENTRAL F.C., T&T	13
18	LESTON  PAUL	CENTRAL F.C., T&T	23
19	LESTER  PELTIER	CLUB AL MUJAZZAL, SAUDI ARABIA	11
20	MARVIN  PHILLIP	CENTRAL F.C., T&T	1
21	JOMAL  WILLIAMS	W CONNECTION F.C., T&T	20

24 players have been summoned for Team Melli training camp by head coach Carlos Queiroz.

After the Venezuelan team reversal and refusal to travel to Tehran, Team Melli has one opportunity now in FIFA day and that match will be against Trinidad.

Notable long-term absentees are Saeed Ezatolahie who might only recover in December , Morteza Pouraliganji and Pejman Montazeri. Alireza Jahanbakhsh also has a slight knock but might make it to the match in Azadi.

 

THE SQUAD

#	Player	Post	Club	Country
GOALKEEPERS
1	ABEDZADEH, Amir	GK	C.S. Marítimo
2	BIRANVAND, Alireza	GK	Persepolis
3	HOSSEINI, Hossein	GK	Esteghlal
DEFENDERS
4	CHESHMI, Rouzbeh	DF	Esteghlal
5	GHAFOORI, Vourya	DF	Esteghlal
6	HOSSEINI, Majeed	DF	Trabzonspor
7	KANANI-ZADEGAN, Hossein	DF	Machine Sazi
8	KHANZADEH, Mohammadreza	DF	Al Ahli
9	MOHAMMADI, Milad	DF	Akhmat Grozny
10	MOHARRAMI, Sadegh	DF	Dinamo Zagreb
11	REZAEIAN, Ramin	DF	Al Shahaniya
MIDFIELD
11	AMIRI, Vahid	MF	Trabzonspor
12	DEJAGAH, Ashkan	MF	Tractorsazi
13	EBRAHIMI, Omid	MF	Al Ahli
14	GHODDOS, Saman	MF	Aimes
15	HAJSAFY, Ehsan	MF	Tractorsazi
16	NOORALLAHIE, Ahmad	MF	Persepolis
17	SHOJAEI, Masoud	MF	Tractorsazi
18	TORABI, Mehdi	MF	Saipa Alborz
FORWARDS
19	ANSARIFARD, Karim	FW	Nottingham Forest
20	AZMOUN, Sardar	FW	Rubin Kazan
21	GHOLIZADEH, Ali	FW	Charleroi
22	JAHANBAKHSH, AliReza	FW	Brighton & Hove Albion
23	REZAEI, Kaveh	FW	FC Brugge
24	TAREMI, Mehdi	FW	Al Gharrafah

When Giovanni Infantino , FIFA President and AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim make an effort to attend the AFC Champions League 2018 final , it is the minimum expectation for the National Team coach cadre and the head coach to be there among the elite.

Not Carlos Queiroz .

Queiroz was the big time absentee in yesterday’s home match between Persepolis and Kashima Antlers in a jammed packed Azadi Stadium. The match ended goal-less and the Japanese club lifted the trophy for the first time after a 2-0 aggregate score.

National team coaches all around the world always make it their duty to attend league matches of their domestic league and if they have players outside their country, they also attend. Gareth Southgate is seen regularly and religiously attending the Premier League as head coach of England team. Queiroz on the other hand, rarely attends Persian league football matches and even the top club game in Asian football does not seem to attract his interest.

However, Queiroz is frequently turns up in Europe to watch the same players that her already know about and are fixed in his starting line up!

The magnificent Azadi stadium is full up to the hilt with fans in anticipation of the kick off at 18:30 local time of the return final match between Persepolis and Kashima Antlers of Japan.

For the first time in international matches, a section is also allocated for females and families, allowing women to attend matches.

As usual for such important matches in Azadi Sport Complex, crowds have flocked to Azadi since last night with vendors reserving their space to sell all sort of merchandise including Persepolis banners and Iranian flags. Crowds from outside Tehran also use the space for sleeping before the match the next day.

This match has been sold out over a week ago as it went on-line to control black market, however, from previous experience with Iranian football, even a controlled sale of tickets on-line has resulted in thousands of ticket holders holding legitimate tickets being left behind closed doors in Azadi stadium.

The AFC has demanded strict control on the ticket sales and imposed strict guidelines on crowd safety including banning of spectators sitting on stairs leading to exits.

This match on Saturday evening is a great test for Iranian football both on and off the field. Organization and management has not been one of the great traits of Iranian administrators in football, unlike the footballers it produces. It remains to be seen who this match ends up in a positive impressions.

Persepolis is two goals behind, but it is not a lost cause at all as seen from the first game in Japan. Persepolis has Siamak Nemati suspended due to his red card.

Iran Beach Soccer National Team will meet Russia i the final of the Huawei Intercontinental Beach Soccer championship in Dubai.

After Iran defeated Egypt 3-1 in the first semi-final, Russia met Brazil in the other semi final to take a 3-0 lead against the Brazilians in the 3rd period. The Latin American champions came back strongly and managed to equalize 5-5 in a thriller. Russia won on [penalty kicks.

This is the second meeting between Iran and Russia . In group stages, Iran defeated Russia 3-2.

After the marathon semi against Brazil, the Russians will possibly suffer from fatigue. It will be to a great advantage for Team Melli to lift the trophy once again in the Intercontinental Beach Soccer championship

SEMI FINAL Report

Iran v Egypt 

The first of the day’s semi-final saw the undefeated Iran take on Egypt for a place in tomorrow’s final.  It was clear from the start how much passage to the last round meant to these teams…

The game started at an electrically high pace from the kick-off, with players chasing down every pass and getting away as many shots as possible. But defence was as good as attack, and the alert goalkeepers were kept in action at both ends.

Despite a high quantity of shots the scoreline remained unchanged all the way through the first period and far from being a dull match, the tension seemed to build as the players went back to their benches to regroup.

It was obvious that both sides were desperate not to fall behind and the second period went very similarly to the first: high intensity, but still no goals. That is, until, the Iranian number fifteen, Masoumizadeh, forced some space for himself to set up an overhead which the keeper couldn’t swat away, despite getting a finger to it.

The stalemate finally broken, the game suddenly took on a very different feel. Egypt were chasing and would have to increase their attacking play even more. The second whistle went with the slim lead still intact for Iran.

Quite the contrary of being content with their advantage, Iran had tasted blood, and pushed for more goals, hitting the post and piling the attacks on the Egyptian defence. A second goal was coming and the former champions found it through Mirshekari who came diving in at the back post to poke in an overhead shot that had been heading wide.

The huge numbers of Iranian fans in the crowd screamed with joy, but then the Egyptian captain, Samir, converted a penalty and the noise receded a little as the score sat at a close 2-1… but just for a matter of seconds as Kiani reinstalled a two-goal advantage with a sweet volley directly from the restart.

Egypt mounted some last-minute attacks but the Persians defended effectively to see out the final moments, sealing that crucial spot in the final. Egypt will play in tomorrow’s third-place play-offs, while Iran have the chance the repeat beach socer history.

Goals: 1-0: Masoumizadeh, min. 4 (2); 2-0: A. Mirshekari, min. 4 (3); 2-1: M. Samir, min. 4 (3); 3-1: M. Kiani, min. 4 (3);

Iran Beach soccer qualified for the Semi Final of Huawei Intercontinental Beach Soccer in Dubai after a thrilling win against Russia.

Iran against Russia was one of the day’s more competitive games as neither had lost and a winning streak was at stake. On top of that, both of these teams were previous winners of the tournament and had already qualified for the next round.

It took a while for the sides to break the stalemate and it was obvious from the kick off that neither wanted to blink first in this clash of beach soccer giants.

The 2013 competition winners, Iran, drew first blood as Akbari knocked the ball home from a corner with just a minute of the first period to go. The Russians mounted aggressive attacks in response but almost immediately after the first came a second Iran goal when Piramoun also got on the scoresheet.

The second period began with the Russian trailing and with a task on their hands to get back into the tie. The prolific Russians that had scored so many in the previous games could not break through. It wasn’t until the third period when Romanov pounced to cut the deadlock to just one that Russians came alive.

Then, who else but Zemskov – scoring his eighth goal of the tournament! – equalised and the Russian supporters exploded in celebration.

However, the level-pegging didn’t last long as the Iranian men in red found their champion in Behzadpour, who netted what would be the winner, and the other half of the stands, with just four minutes to go, started a party of their own.

Russia thought they’d equalised late on when Zemskov scored again but the referee, deeming that he had pushed the goalkeeper to the ground in the build-up, discounted it, and Iran, after having a goal of their own disallowed earlier on, were saved.

The Persians top the group and will meet Egypt in the first semi final on Friday while Russia finish in second and must face the powerful Brazil in the other semi-final..

Goals: 1-0: A. Akbari, min. 1 (1); 2-0: S. Piramoun, min. 0 (1); 2-1: Romanov, min. 8 (3); 2-2: Zemskov, min. 7 (3); 3-2: Behzadpour, min. 4 (3);

The Draw divided the 44 participating teams into two zones of WEST (West + South + Central) with 24 teams, and EAST (East + ASEAN) with 20 teams.

Qatar will host Group A as they aim to make their third appearance in the AFC U23 Championship Finals. They will face Oman, Nepal and Afghanistan.

Group B host Bahrain will attempt qualifying for the Finals for the fourth time, as they go up against Palestine, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Islamic Republic of Iran, the host nation for Group C, will test their mettle against Iraq, Turkmenistan and Yemen.

Saudi Arabia, the 2013 runners-up, will be aiming to better their previous best result after failing to progress past the group stage in January. They host United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Maldives in Group D.

Kuwait were among the first teams to participate in the first-ever AFC U23 Championship in 2013, and will bid to reach the Finals again when they face Jordan, Syria and Kyrgyz Republic in Group E.

Reigning champions and Group F hosts Uzbekistan will begin their title defence against Tajikistan, India and Pakistan in Group F.

Mongolia will be counting on home support when they host Group G, going up against DPR Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Cambodia have yet to reach the Finals but they are determined to impress when they welcome Korea Republic, Australia and Chinese Taipei in Group H.

After missing out on two editions, Group I host Myanmar, will play against 2016 winners Japan, Timor-Leste and Macau.

Group J host Malaysia, who reached the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in their history in January, are set to host China PR, Laos and Philippines.

Vietnam, who finished runners-up in the 2018 edition, will host Group K, where they will meet Thailand, Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam.

The 11 group winners and four best second-placed teams will qualify for the Finals, with the host nation of the Finals receiving automatic qualification.

In the event that the host of the Finals, Thailand, finish among the qualified teams to the Finals (either top of the group or one of the four best second-placed teams), the next (fifth) second-placed team in the ranking among all groups will qualify to the Finals instead.

The 2020 Qualifiers will be held on March 22-26, 2019.